Multiple-circuit double-throw switch



E. G. DANIELSON MULTIPLE CIRCUIT DOUBLE THROWSWITCH Nov. 3, 1925.

' Filed July 18, 1921 451 ATTORNEYS Patented Nov. 3, 1 925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERNEST G. DANIELSON, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA, ASSIGNOR TO E. T. CUNNING- HAM, OF SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA.

MULTIPLE-CIRCUIT DQUBLE-THROW SWITCH.

Application filed July 18, 1921.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ERNEST Gr. DANIEL- SON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city and county of San Francisco, State of California, have invented a new and useful Multiple-Circuit Double- Throw Switch, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to electrical apparatus and more particularly to an improved switch.

It is an. object of the present invention to provide a multiple circuit double-throw switch in which there is provided a rotary contact member adapted to be thrown alternately into contact with either of pairs of circuit terminals disposed in such juxtaposition to the contact member that one pair will engage the contact member at one side to close a circuit and another pair of terminals will engage the contact member when it is thrown in the opposite direction; and the parts being so disposed that the contact member may be adjusted in an intermediate neutral position.

Another object of the invention is to provide a switch mechanism in which the circuit closing elements have a self-cleaning action upon each other in the making and breaking of a circuit.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a switch construction in which there may be a plurality of pairs of circuit ter minals on either or on both sides of the rotary circuit contacts.

It is further, an object to provide an electric switch which, while capable of concurrently closing a suitable number of circuits in either of two effective positions, is at the same time extremely simple and inexpensive and has parts of such character that the switch will have great durability and which is devoid of a multiplicity of freely movable elements.

The invention possesses other objects and features of advantage, some of which, with the foregoing, will be made manifest in the following description of the preferred form of the invention, which is illustrated in the drawings accompanying and forming part of the specification. It is to be understood that it is not intended to limit the invention to the embodiment shown by the said drawings and description, as variations may be Serial N0. 485,697.

I adopted within the scope of the invention as set forth in the claim.

Fig. 1 is a perspective of the improved switch shown in its normal position contiguous to a suitable mounting or panel.

Fig. 2 is a vertical cross section through the switch between its ends and through one of the contact rings, the switch parts being in neutral relation.

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2, but showing the contact member thrown into circuit closing position.

The device of the present invention preferably consists of a rotary or oscillating contact member having a cylindrical or convex active face, the opposite sides of which contact member are designed to be thrown into engagement with oppositely arranged pairs of circuit terminals. The rotarycoutact member is mounted in an insulated manner upon a rotating 0r rock-shaft having at one end means, as a handle, in front of a switch board or panel by which the contact device may be actuated.

As here shown, the switch includes a shaft 2. having an exposed portion beyond a handle or knob 3, normally arranged in front of a switch board or panel P, perforated to receive the exposed portion of the shaft 2, and permitting free rotation of the shaft. Through the panel extends a set of fastening screws 4t, which pass through one end of bearing plates 5, and bite into rods 6, of insulating material; these rods being arranged in parallelism and having at each end a bearing plate 5, as described. The screws st, form means for securing the switch organization to the back of the panel P.

Each end plate or bearing 55, is perforated to receive and support the rockshaft 2, and between the plates, and secured on the shaft 2, is a cylindrical body or rod of insulating material 7, in either end of which may be arranged a stop pin 8, designed to play between radial shoulders 9, in the contiguous bearing plate 5. Thus, when the rock-shaft 2, is oscillated from side to side by the panel 3, the stop pin 8, will limit the action by engagement with one or the other of the shoulders 9.

Mount-ed, and preferably cast in position in the insulating cylinder 7, is shown a plu- 'alit v of suitably spaced contact cylinders or rings 10, whose surfaces may be flush with the surface of the cylinder 7, or have other desired relation thereto. The cylinder 7, is, as is shown in Figs. 2 and 3, arranged eccentrically with respect to the shaft 2, and likewise are the contact rings 10.

Arranged along each of the side insulating rods 6, are shown pairs of resilient wire rods 11, 11 and 11, on one side and 12 12 and 12 on the other side. These pairs are spaced co-ordinate with the rings 10,. so that the terminals oi? each pair on each side of the switch are in a position to be engaged selectively with the contiguous contact ring. Preferably, the terminal rods 11, 11 and 11, incline upwardly toward one side of the rotary contacts and the terminal wires 12, 12 and 12, likewise incline upwardly toward the opposite side of the contacts and the upper ends of the convergently arranged terminal wires are so spaced that when the rock-shatt- 2, is turned to one position, the eccentric body or cylinder 7, occupies a neutral position between the ends of the several terminal wires, but whichends are so dis posed that when the rock-shaft 2, is turned, as to the right in Fig. 8, the periphery of each of the contact rings is brought into wiping contact with the contiguous ends of the wires 11, 11 and 11, and in which position movement is stopped, asrby the stop pin and shoulder 89. Preferably, the angle of the terminal wires is such, with respect to the surface of the contact rings, that the rotary device is held by the friction of the yielding terminal wires. Moving the rockshaft to throw a cylindrical contact from the right to the left, Fig. 3, concurrently breaks all of the circuits through the ter minals 11, 11 and 11, and upon the necessary movement concurrently closes all of the circuits at the pairs of terminal wires 12, 12 and 12. From this it will be seen that there is a yielding contact between the ter minals and the cont-act rin and moreover there is a wiping action between the closing contacts so that the surfaces'ot the rings are kept in bright, clean, good contacting condition. 7

The terminal wires are rigidly mounted in the respective bars and the wires of each set in a given, bar all he in -a common plane substantially tangential to the contiguous cylindrical contacts.

lVhat is claimed is:

In a switch, a rotatable eccentric contact member of cylindrical form, contactfingers arranged to cooperate with said contact member and positioned on opposite sides thereof, and means for holding said member and fingers on a supporting wall, comprising a pair of bearing plates in which the contact member is rotatable, parallel spacing rods between the bearing plates, said rods supporting the fingers, and fastening means for each rod adapted to pass through the .wall, the plates and engage one end of its respective rod.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto set my hand.

ERNEST G. DANIELSON. 

